Experts say gas prices should not spike due to Hurricane Florence

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - With Hurricane Florence now brushing the Carolinas, people are starting to wonder how the storm will affect the rest of the country as well. One of the main concerns is gas prices.

Normally when a storm or natural disaster happens, motorists expect a spike in gas prices but officials are saying that shouldn't be the case with Hurricane Florence.

GasBuddy released a statement saying that this storm will not result in a jump in gas prices.

"There's no reason at all for people in Alabama to rush out and fill up their gas tanks," said Clay Ingram with AAA Alabama.

Drivers in the affected regions can expect some struggles as stations try to catch up, and there might be power outages that affect being able to fill up your tank. The good news is there is plenty of gasoline available and that shouldn't change.

"There are no refineries in those areas at all," Ingram said. "In years past, we've seen refinery damage on the gulf coast and refineries had to shut down for a period of time and do repairs and cleanups and things like that and that does affect a large portion of the country when those refineries are shut down."

There is a pipeline that runs through the Carolinas and Virginia area and it carries gasoline up to the New England area, but it's not likely for any damage to affect the pipeline.

Ingram said even if there is a price spike in the affected areas it should be much smaller and more short-term than with storms in the past. He also told WHNT News 19 that the overall demand for gas should even out and drivers in unaffected areas of the country shouldn't have a problem filling up.